Message from Independent Green
Party State Chairman Joe Oddo.
Independent Green Party Candidates Provide Strong Presence on Virginia ballot in 2012
All of our candidates, party officers and volunteers
can be extremely proud of the effort that we have engaged in for the past 12 months – adding to the success as we prepare
for our 12th year as an Independent Green political party.
The Independent Greens of Virginia enjoyed historic success in 2012 by once again placing the most third party
candidates on the ballot in 2012, this time finding the most independents to stand for office in Virginia since 1916.
Election night in Virginia was a great joy for the Independent Green Party.
All evening TV screens flashed the names of multiple Independent Green Party (IG) candidates. It was a visual affirmation
for two decades of work by Independents and Greens to build Virginia's strongest third party on ballot presence in a century.
Gail for Rail Parker, Janet Murphy,
Peter Marchetti, Doctor Ken Hildebrandt, Kevin Chisholm won votes, attention, and respect for "More Trains, Less Traffic"
positive message.
Retired U.S. Air Force
officer Gail “For Rail” Parker was on the ballot for the Independent Green Party for the eight year in a row in
2012. Gail nearly tripled her vote for congress in Virginia's First congressional district. Gail for Rail was a clear
winner in the televised debate sticking to her eco for the economy message. The Virginia Pilot newspaper led their coverage
with Gail for Rail in the headline, and noted her disciplined message of positive solutions.
"Where rail goes, business grows."
Gail for Rail is known for her disciplined, serious, and focused campaigning,
and debating skills. Virginia's 1st congressional district voters rewarded Gail with the most votes of any third party
or Independent candidate in Virginia in 2012. Gail even received more votes than some statewide candidates.
Janet Murphy was on the ballot as an Independent Green Party candidate for the
second year in a row.
"Rail saves
lives."
In 2011 Janet Murphy ran as an Independent Green for state legislature, House of Delegates. In 2012
Janet Murphy was the Independent Green Party candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in the 8th congressional district.
It includes Arlington, Alexandria, and some portions of Fairfax County. Janet Murphy is an IT professional and realtor.
Janet Murphy finished with a fine showing placing third and a four way race.
Janet Murphy called for the Green New Deal. "More Trains, Less Traffic. More solar
jobs! Wind jobs! Geothermal jobs! Weatherization jobs! Janet Murphy and the Independent Greens of Virginia call for
building high speed rail statewide, and nationwide. Maglev passenger rail in the interstate corridor. Build the
Metrorail Potomac Yard rail stop. Build the Virginia Rail Express Cameron Station stop. Build a new passenger rail tunnel
under the Potomac. Rail to Ft. Belvior. Virginia Rail Express Electronic signs at major intersections. Both Janet Murphy
and Gail for Rail Parker are already looking ahead to 2013 and recruiting a full slate of Independent Green Party candidates
for 100 House of Delegates races.
IT
Engineer, husband, father Peter Marchetti continued to lead by doing. A great citizen and patriot, Peter Marchetti served
his community, state, and nation by exercising his right to be on the ballot. This was the second year in a row Peter
Marchetti stood on the as an Independent Green Party of Virginia candidate. In 2011 Peter Marchetti was the Indy Green
candidate for Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Director. This is an important position that
helps keep soil and water clean and safe in our communities.
Peter Marchetti showed his commitment to his neighbors, and community again in 2012 by accepting the Independent
Green Party nomination for U.S. House of Representatives. The Indy Green candidate collected the over 2,000 signatures
necessary to be on the ballot for congress.
Independent Greens honor Peter Marchetti's sterling record of civil commitment and duty. Indy Greens
hope Peter Marchetti will seriously considering continuing to serve, and stand again on the ballot in 2013. Peter Marchetti
would be an outstanding House of Delegates candidate for the Independent Green Party in 2012.
Independent Green Doctor Ken Hildebrandt was a first time candidate this year.
Dr. Hildebrandt was on the ballot for U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia's 5th District. The fifth is geographically
Virginia's largest congressional district, covering a territory larger than the state of New Jersey. From the border
of North Carolina, the fifth runs north through the heart of Virginia mostly along the Route 29 corridor. It covers communities
as diverse as Danville, Lynchburg, Charlottesville and Culpeper.
Independent Green Party candidate Dr. Ken Hildebrandt ran a strong campaign appearing on the Shilling show
the Friday before the Election. He posted a number of televised interviews and had signs planted in one-half of the twenty
counties in the district.
Dr. Hildebrandt was encouraged by his wife to run in 2012. And it was Mrs. Hildebrandt
who collected many the thousands of signatures to get the Indy Green Doctor – a former Chiropractor – on the ballot.
Ken tied the Independent Green theme of building rail to his initiative to allow hemp to be grow to provide a number of benefits
from biofuel to paper to rope production. He relays a story from decades past of an automobile being made from hemp and being
unable to sustain damage when being assaulted with a sledge hammer. “Which means we can build a locomotive out of hemp,
and make a biofuel out of hemp to run it.”
Ken was especially sensitive to the plight of formerly productive manufacturing centers in the Southside of the fifth district.
Cities like Danville, Martinsville, and South Boston would benefit from a boost to replace the lost textile and manufacturing
jobs. Like other Indy Greens, advocating for bring rail jobs, solar jobs, wind jobs, geothermal jobs, weatherization jobs
and a renewed profitable crop to an area that was once a manufacturing and agricultural success story will only bring prosperity
back to the area.
Independent Greens
gathered the signatures to put the pro-rail "More Trains, Less Traffic" engineer Kevin Chisholm on the ballot in
Virginia's 10th District. The 10th is the north western most part of Virginia. It runs from Patsy Cline's Winchester
to the affluent Loudoun County. Kevin Chisholm, husband, and father ran a disciplined and serious campaign for U.S. House
of Representatives in 2012. Two years earlier Kevin Chisholm had been a Green Party candidate for Arlington Board of Supervisors.
Joseph P. Oddo
State Chairman Independent Green
Party of Virginia
703-338-0200
USRepublic@aol.com
